Strap seal



Feb. 18, 1941- w. .c. CHILDRESS STRAP SEAL Original Filed Feb. 13, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 18, 1941- w. c. CHILDRESS STRAP SEAL Original Filed Feb. 13, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb 18, 194i I UNITED STATES PATENT oFncE STRAP SEAL William 0. childrees, Oak Park, ni., assignor to Acme Steel Company, Chicago, IIL, a corporation of Illinois Original application February 1:, 1935, Serial No. 6,309. Divided and this application May 2a, 1938, Serial No. 210,753

3 Claims. (Cl. 24-23) This invention relates to improvements in strap resistance which must be overcome in moving one seals and its purpose is to provide an improved seal with respect to the next adjacent seal in the device adapted for use in uniting the overlapping magazine as a seal is fed to position between the ends of steel straps or other binders which are jaws of the sealing apparatus. Other objects 5 used in reenforcing boxes or packages or in bindrelate to various features of construction and ing a plurality of such 'boxes or packages toarrangement which will appear more fully heregether. The present application is a division of inafter. my original application, Serial No. 6,309, filed The nature of the invention will be understood February 13, 1935, which describes and claims a from the following specification taken with the form of strap sealing apparatus intended for use fl p y drawings in which e i i- 10 in drawing a strap taut around a box or package, merits of the imp Seal are illustrated in 6011- cutting off the strap from the source of supply, neetion th a portion of a form 015 Sealing pp and then uniting the overlapping ends of the ratus with which the seal may be empl ye strap by means of a seal which is carried into In e d n s l5 engagement with the overlapping strap ends by g e -shows a perspective view of one form means of th o ab h d of th apparatus of flat seal constructed according to the present prising a pair of relatively movable jaws between invention. l ki toward the bottom thereof, this which a seal ,is adapted to be held when moved S being pt o be employed with the sealinto position therein from a storage magazine, mg apparatus diselesed in Said Original applicathe jaws being capable of relative movement after tion e Partially illustrated in Figs- 4 t0 8, 2n the seal has been brought into engagement with h the overlapping strap ends for the purpose of 2 15 pelspective VleW 0f t c pleted bending t seal about t Strap ends and then joint which is formed by the operation of the shearing the lateral edges of the strap and seal Seehng aPpalatus P the form of s ial y to form an interlocking joint adapted to prevent flat Sea-1 mustlated 5 relative endwise movement of the strap ends. 1518- 3 a perspective of another form of The present invention is directed primarily to su ta t l y f t Seal embodying thepresent inseal adapted for use in the type of sealing appa- Ventmn' Whlch may e m d With e Sealing ratus disclosed in said application and the prinapparatus own in Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive;

cipal object of the present invention is to provide 4 shows P vertical section gh P an improved form of seal which may be flat or of the Sea-1mg pp tus of the original apt i lly f so ha a la e number of su plication referred to above, illustrating the seal seals may be stored in a limited'space in a storage of 1 posmoned between the jaws of the a magazine from which t are fed to the jaws ing head when the head has been lowered to a of the sealing tool as re uired, during the opera- Position Where t a ts p t v rlappin 35 tion of the apparatus. A further. object of the ends; invention is to provide an improved form of seal an enlargefi detail Section taken of 'a substantially flat or slightly curved shape on the of 4 lnustrating t Operawhich is so modified as to cause it to bend along tion of 8 P g n edin he lowermo t seal 40 predetermined lines when it is acted upon by from t ma i t ap s ti n tw n t e jaws 40 the apparatus of the sealing tool so that portions which are shown in Fig. 4; of the seal are bent around the edges of the 6 is deteil Section taken on t e l e overlapping strap ends preliminary to the formaof Fig. S-showing the operation of the feeding tion of an interlocking joint by effecting the p n r in n a he lowerm t seal of the deformation of the seal and the overlapping strap S ee e Seal is fed til the jaws of the s 45 ends enclosed therein. Still another object of the i 8 head; 1 invention is to provide an improved strap seal Fig. 7 5110ws an enlarged deta l Section th of a substantially flat or slightly curved form the lower portio hf' e EJaWS t ati which is so constructed that a plurality of such the relative positions of the bending dies, carried seals may be stored in a limited space in a magaby the jaws, when they have bent the lateral 50 zine and which are provided with projections so edges of the sealaboutthe strap ends; and, that superimposed seals are spaced slightly apart Fig. 8 shows an enlarged vertical section taken to permit their convenient engagement by the through the sealing jaws at a point displaced feeding device of the sealing apparatus, whileat laterally from the section illustrated in Fig. 8, the same time materially reducing the frictional illustrating the relative positions of the parts 56 when the shearing dies have been actuated to shear the lateral edges of the strap and seal, and to deflect intervening portions thereof to provide an interlocking joint.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a form of seal 29 which has a flat central portion 29 separated from parallel side portions 29" by intervening longitudinal score lines or grooves 29 which indent the metal for some distance inwardly from each end of the seal so that the seal has a tendency to bend along these lines when pressure is applied to the lateral edges 29 of the seal. These score lines 29 maybe formed by compressing and indenting the metal of the seal with a resulting formation of longitudinally extending ribs on the upper side of the seal. The score lines 29 at each end of the plate are in alignment with the corresponding score lines at the other end of the plate. At the same time that the blank is punched to form the score lines, the blank may be punched to form projections29= which are adapted to space adjacent seal plates apart when they are stacked upon each other to form a package adapted to be placed in the magazine of a sealing tool. There are preferably two such projections 29 on each side portion 29 of each seal and these projections are spaced inwardly from the ends of the seal. The projections opposite the score lines 29 may be made large enough to space the seal plates apart and, in that event, the projections 29 may be unnecessary. The center of each seal 29 is preferably provided with an aperture 29 and these apertures are aligned with each other when a plurality of seals are arranged in a vertical stack so that they may be engaged by a wire or other temporary fastening means extended through the aligning apertures and then bent transversely at its ends so that the stack of seals is held temporarily together in a bundle or package for convenience in transporting it and placing it in the magazine of a sealing tool. A relatively soft ductile wire is perfectly employed for securing the seals together in the package.

When the bundle or placed in the magazine the wire may be pulled stack of seals has been of the sealing apparatus, out of the aligning apertures 29 to release the seals for engagement by the seal feeding means which moves them successively into engagement with the sealing device of the tool in which the magazine is embodied. The projections 29 provide point to point contacts between adjacent seals which space the body portions of these seals slightly apart to facilitate the removal of the lowermost seal only from the magazine on each operation of the feeding means, in addition to reducing the frictional resistance between the lower seal and the next adjacent seal during this sliding movement. Each seal employed with the sealing apparatus of the present invention is preferably formed of metal which is hard and still, but which has a slight resiliency and suiiicient ductility to cause it to retain a permanent set after the side portions 29 have been bent around the overlapping ends of the strap.

In Fig. 3 there is shown another form of seal 30 which is in the form of a rectangular metal plate having a slight transverse curvature between its longitudinal edges 30. This seal is provided at its ends with pairs of oppositely disposed notches or indentations 39, these notches being equally spaced from the lateral edges of the seal at its opposite ends so that they which is,

give the seal a tendency to bend along parallel lines extending between opposite notches when pressure is supplied to the lateral edges of the seal. When the seal is applied to the overlapping strap ends, the side portions 39" tend to bend about the lines connecting the oppositely disposed notches 30 while the intervening portion 39 engages one side of a strap end. As in the form of seal previously described, the seal 3| is provided with punched projections 3. which space the seals slightly apart and reduce the frictional resistance between them when they are arranged in the form of a stack. The seals 3| are provided with central apertures 30 for engagement by a wire or other fastening member when the seals are stacked upon each other to form a bundle.

When either of the seals 29 or 39 is applied to the overlapping strap ends 21 and 21", in Figs. 4 and 7, by the use of sealing apparatus, such as that disclosed in Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive, the lateral edges of the seal are bent beneath the overlapping strap ends, as shown in Fig. 7, by the operation of the bending dies carried by the jaws of the tool, and the actuation of the shearing dies serves to shear the lateral edges of the strap ends and the surrounding seal along the lines 3|, as shown in Fig. 2, with a deflection of the metal between the shear lines to form downwardly projecting lugs 32. In the form of joint shown in Fig. 2, there are two pairs of cuts 3| on each side of the seal and two downwardly deflected lugs which provide abutting shoulders preventing relative endwise movement of the strap ends. The form of interlocking joint shown in Fig. 2 is of the type described and claimed in the United States patent of Ralph H. Norton No. 1,260,016, dated March 19, 1918, but it will be understood that after any one of the seals shown in Figs. 1 or 3 has been bent around the overlapping strap ends, the strap ends and the seal may be otherwise deformed to provide an interlocking joint which prevents relative endwise movement of the strap ends.

The sealing apparatus 25, which is partially illustrated in Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive, comprises a base plate 23 adapted to rest upon the surface of the box or package about which a metal strap 21 is adapted to be drawn taut and sealed. This base plate 33 may preferably carry two pairs of relatively movable gripping devices (not shown) which are adapted to grip the opposite end portions of the strap, after it has been passed around a box or package, and to hold these end portions while the strap is being drawn taut. After the strap 21 has been drawn taut, with the ends 21' and 27' thereof overlapping, these overlapping ends are secured together or sealed by the application thereto of a seal sealing operation is effected by a movable head 80 comprising a pair of side pivotally mounted on a shaft 82 fixed inthe lower portions of the posts 15 which are carried by the base plate 33. The plates 8| are notched on their upper sides, as shown at 8|, to receive the shaft or pin 13 when the head 80 is in its uppermost 29 (or 30), and this plates 8| which areposition, thus limiting the upward movement of dies are designated by the numeral 83 and the cutting dies by the numeral 83". In this instance, there are three bending dies and two interposed cutting dies in each jaw member. The die plates of the jaw members are provided on their inner edges with curved surfaces 83, concentric with the axes of the pivot pins 84, and these curved surfaces are adapted. to move in close proximity to each other when the jaw memwithout disturbing the position of the intermediate saddle. The lower portions of the bending dies 83 of the jaw members are provided with inwardly projecting hooks or jaws 83 These bending dies are undercut or recessed above the hooks or jaws 83 as shown at 83, and these recesses are adapted to be engaged by the edges of the seal 28 when the seal is initially placed between the jaw members with the parts in the relative positions shown in Fig. 4, but with the head 88 elevated to a position wherein the notches 8| engage the pin or shaft 13. The bending dies 83' of the jaw 83 which is on the right hand side of the head 88, as viewedin Fig. 4, extend upwardly and outwardly from the pivot pins 84 upon which they are mounted and then terminate in upwardly and inwardly inclined arms 83 I ner ends with curved surfaces 83 adapted to be engaged by an operating member for effecting movement of the die plates about their pivot. At the other side of the head 88, the die plates 83 of the other jaw member 83 extend upwardly to form arms 8-3 which are provided on their inner or upper sides with surfaces 83 adapted to be engaged by an actuating member.

The cutting dies 83 which are positioned between the bending dies 83 are mounted for relative movement with respect to the bending dies 83 about the pivot pins 84 and they are provided on their lower ends with inclined cutting edges 83 which, when the cutting dies of opposite jaw members are moved toward each other, are adapted to shear the lateral edges of the seal and the enclosed strap ends to form an interlocking joint of the form illustrated in Fig. 2. The cutting die plates 83' in the jaw member 83 at the right hand side of the head 88, as viewed in Fig.

' 4, extend upwardly and outwardly from the pivot pin 84 upon which they are mounted and terminate in upwardly and inwardly inclined arms which are similar in form and normal position to the arms 83 formed on the bending dies of that jaw member. At the left hand side of the head 88, as viewed in Fig. 4, the cutting dies 83" extend upwardly from the pivot pin 84 upon which they are mounted, but are relatively short and are provided at their upper ends with inclined or curved surfaces 83 to accommodate the adjacent operating member which is provided for the purpose of eifecting pivotal movement of these die plates. The die plates 83" in the other jaw member have inner surfaces which are also adapted to be engaged by the actuating members. For the purpose of returning the cutting die plates 83 to their normal positions with respect which are provided on their in- I that the cutting to the bending die plates 83, after these cutting die plates have been moved from their normal positions, the cutting die plates 83 are provided with pins 83 which project laterally therefrom through elongated slots 83 which are formed in the bending die plates 83 of each jaw member 83. These pins also project through elormated curved slots which are formed in the side plates 8| and the projecting ends of these pins are connected by springs which are adapted normally to move the die plates 83' and 83?.to their normal relative positions shown in Fig. 4.

When the die plates are in these normal positions, with the head 88 in its elevated position,

the lower portions of the die plates are adapted to receive between them the substantially flat seal 28, the edges 28 of which engage the recesses 88 formed in the bending die plates 83. The next operation, after the seal has been inserted, consists in lowering the head to position the seal 28 over the overlapping strap ends, as shown in Fig. 4. After this has been done, the bending die plates 83" are actuated, independently of the cutting die plates 83', to bend the lateral portions 28 of the seal downwardly and inwardly around the overlapping strap ends, as shown in Fig. '7. Following this operation, the cutting die plates 83 are actuated to shear the lateral edges of the strap and seal to form the interlocking joint shown in Figs. 2 and 8.

The bending and cutting die plates of the jaw members 83 are adapted to be actuated by a cam 88 which constitutes the hub of an operating lever 82 pivotally mounted upon a pin 83 which extends between and is secured in the side plates 8|. when the operating lever 82 is in its normal position with respect to the side plates 8| and the jaw members 83, as shown in Fig. 4, the lower portion 88* of cam 88 occupies a position between the arms of the bending dies, and above this portion 88' of the cam there is a curved inclined surface 88' formed on a projection 88 and engaged bythe surfaces 83' of the arms 83 while at the other side, the part 88' has a surface 88 which lies in contact withthe surfaces 83 of the arms 83". Assuming that a seal 28 is positioned between the jaw. members, with the head 88 in its elevated position, the next step in the operation of the apparatus is to lower the head 88 by pushing downwardly upon the operating lever 82 until the seal 28 is positioned over the overlapping strap ends as shown in Fig. 4. After this has been done, the operating lever 82 is moved forwardly or toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 4, thereby causing the surfaces 83 of the arms 83 of the right hand jaw member 83 to be engaged by the surface 88 -while, at the same time, the

surfaces 83 of the arms 83 of the'other jaw member are engaged by the surface 88 of the cam, with the result that the lower portions of the shear the lateraledges of the strap and seal to form the cuts 3| and the projections 32 shown in Fig. 2. when these operations have been oompleted, the operating lever 82 is moved in the opposite direction about its pivot 83 with the result that both cutting dies and the bending dies are edges 83 of the cutting dies restored to their normal positions by the actions of springs (not shown) connected to the ends of thepins 83".

At one side of the path of movement of the head there is mounted a seal storage magazine 5 having an internal chamber of rectangular cross-section which is adapted to receive a stack of the seals '29 (Or 30) as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This magazine I I5 is so positioned that the lowermost seal in the stack in the magazine is located opposite the recesses 83 of the Jaws when the head 80 is in its uppermost position. when in this position, the jaws of the head are adapted to receive between them the lowermost seal 29 which is fed thereto by means of a plunger I20 which may be manually operated independently of any other part of the apparatus or which may be actuated by the mechanism by which the strap is drawn taut around the package as disclosed in my original application above referred to. This plunger I20 is provided at its forward end with a projection I20 which is adapted to extend over the top of the lowermost seal 2! and beneath the central portion of the next adjacent seal of the stack so that as the plunger is moved toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 5, the lowermost seal is thrust through the opening 5 in the side wall of the magazine into a position between the jaws of the sealing tool, the seal being limited in its endwise movement by engagement with 9. lug 8| formed on the outermost side plate 8i of the head. During this sliding movement of the seal the projections 29 limit the frictional resistance of this seal on the next adjacent seal of the stack and at the same time these projections space the lowermost seal from the next adjacent seal so that there is no danger of removing more than one seal by one operation of the plunger I".

With the forms of seals illustrated in the drawings, it will be apparent that the score lines 29 and the notches 30 constitute recesses or deformations which are oppositely disposed in pairs so that they determine the lines about which the side portions of the seals bend when they are applied to the overlapping strap ends.

Although two forms of the improved seal have been shown and described by way of illustration in conjunction with the disclosure of one form of sealing apparatus which may be employed in connection with the use of seals of this type, it will be understood that the improved seal of the present invention may be embodied in various forms coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A strap seal adapted to be applied to overlapping strap ends and comprising a metal plate having a slight transverse curvature from edge to edge, whereby pressure applied to the edges of said seal will cause it to bend in a predetermined direction about the strap ends.

2. A strap seal adapted to be applied to overlapping strap ends and comprising a metal plate having a slight transverse curvature from edge to edge, whereby pressure applied to the edges of said seal will cause it to bend in a predetermined direction about the strap ends, said seal being provided with opposite indentations at its ends adapted to cause said seal to bend along predetermined lines when applied to the strap ends.

3. A strap seal adapted to be applied to overlapping strap ends and comprising a metal plate having a slight transverse curvature from edge to edge, whereby pressure applied to the edges of said seal will cause it to bend in a predetermined direction, said seal being provided with opposite indentations at its ends adapted'to cause said seal to bend along predetermined lines when applied to the strap ends, said seal being provided with a plurality of projections whereby said seal will be spaced slightly from adjacent seals when a plurality of said seals are arranged in a stack.

WILLIAM c. cmnrnans s. 

